Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-07-30

AS otE DlD ~ IL EhfLUDED
Thereon the whole mass of Beers, with the
exception of Muller, who was standing
watching. seeing that he was now defenseless,
fell upon him and would have kicked him to
death had not Bessie precipitated herself upon
him with a cry and thrown her arms about
him to protect him.
Then Frank Muller interfered, fearing lest
she should be hurt. Plunging into the fray
with curse, he exercised his great strength,
throwing the men this way and that like
ninepins and finally dragging Silas to his feet
again
"Comer' he shouted, take him out of this;
and accordingly, with taunts and obIoquy,
the poor old man, whose fringe of white locks
was red with hood, was kicked and dragged
and pushed on to the veranda, then off it on
to the drive, where he fell over the body OF
the murdered Kafir boy, and finally hauled
up to the open space by the flagstaff, on which
the Union Jack, that he had planted there
some two months before, still waved bravely
in the breeze. Here he sank down upon the
grass, his back against the flagstaff, and asked
family for some water Bessie, who was
weeping bitterly, and whose heart felt a.
though it were bursting with anguish and in
dgnation, pushed her way through the men
and, running to the house, got some in glass
and brought it TO him. One of the brutes
tried to knock it out of her hand, but she
avoided him and gave it to her uncle, who
drank it greedily.
Thank you. love, thank you" be said
don't be frightened, | amt much hurt All
if only John had been here, and we had had
an hours notice, we would have held the
place against them all
Meanwhile one of the Beers, getting on the
shoulders of another had succeeded in un
tying the cord on which the Union Jack was
bent and hauling it down Then they re
versed it and hoistcd it half mast high, anG
began TO cheer for the republic.
perhaps Uncle Silas does not know that We
are republic again now" said one of the
men, near neighbor of his own, in mockery
What do you mean by repubhcs' asked
| the old man. The Transvaal is a British
| colony
There was boot of derision at this "Ths
| English government has surrendered sale
| the same man, The country is given w., anC
the British are to evaeuate it in six months.
at is lie!' said Silas, springing TO his feet
| "a cowardly lie Whoever says that tn,
| English have given up the country to few
| thousand backguards like you. and desertet
| its subjects and the loyals and the natives, il
a lara liar from helli'
There was another howl of mockery at thi,
| outburst. ami when it had subsidized Frank
| Muller stepped forward
at is no lie, Silas Croft" he said; ''and tn,
| towards are not we Beers, who have heater
| you again and again, but your soldiers, who
have done nothing but run away, and voul
| government, that follows the example Of
| your soldiers. Look here"-and he took {
paper out of his pocket-''you know that sig
| nature, | suppose; it Is one of the trium
virate. Listen to what be says and be read
aloud
WELL BELOVED HER MULLER-This il
to inform YOU that, by the strength of our
arms fighting for the right and freedom, anC
also by the cowardice of the British govern
ment, generals and soldiers, we have by tn,
will of the Almighty concluded this day
glorious peace with the enemy. The British
government surrenders nearly everything ex
cept in the name. The republic is to be re
established, and the soldiers who are left vii
leave the land within six months Make Thu
| known to every one, and forget not TO thanl
God for our glorious victories"
The Beers shouted aloud, as well they
might, and Bessie wrunG her hands As fol
the old man, he leaned against the flagstaff
and his CORY head sank upon his breast q
though he were about to faint Then sud
denly he lifted it, and. with clnched ant
| guivering fists held high in the air, broke ou
into such a torrent of blasphemy and cursin,
that even the Beers fell back for moment
disInayed into silence by the force of the fur,
wrung from his utter humiliation
| 1t was an appalling sight to see this gooC
and God fearing old man, his face bruised. hi
| gray hairs dabbled with blood and his clothe
nearly rent from his body, stamp and reel t,
and fro, disappearing his Maker and the day
that he was born; hurting excavations at hi
beloved country and the name of Englishmal
! and the government that bad deserted him
till at last nature gave out, and he fell in
fit there, In the very shadow of his dishouore,
flag.